Ongoing Detention of Minor in Shabwa Despite Release Orders

More than forty days have passed since the detention of 16-year-old Mohammed Matlub Saleh bin Omar bin Hadi at the security department of Nisab District, Shabwa Governorate, without any legal charges against him. The incident constitutes a clear violation of Yemeni law, which criminalizes holding individuals as hostages and classifies it as a criminal offense.

According to sources who spoke to Yemen Children’s Platform, the Nisab Primary Prosecution Office issued a memorandum on August 25, 2025, ordering the child’s release. However, local security authorities have yet to enforce the decision.

Earlier, on August 13, 2025, the Shabwa Police Command also directed Nisab Police to immediately release the detainee, but the order likewise went unheeded.

Meanwhile, human rights activists and the child’s family continue to call for his release. Ali Bahaj, head of the Qena Foundation for Rights and Media in Shabwa, urged the governor to intervene and instruct the relevant authorities to either release the minor or refer him to the prosecution if any legal charges exist against him.